St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-11
THE BOOT,

The boot, as an instrument of torture,
was employed in nearly ali the cOun-
tries of continental Europe, and there
are instances of its use in England also.
1t was in France and Spain, however,
where it was best known and most i'll
vogue. 1t consisted of an iron inStru
ment into which the foot was inserted,
and which closed upon the leg up to
near the knee, like boot. The leg pOr-
ton was formed of iron rings, held i'll
place by upright pieces extending from
the foot. Between these rings and the
leg wooden or iron wedges were driven.
The pressure, under this process, be-
came so great. in many instances in
which it was inflicted, as to reduce the
muscles to jelly and destroy the leg
forever.
The boot sometimes assumed differ
ent shape from this. The fOOt-p.e ee and
rings were formed the same as i'll the
instrument Just described. but the pres
sure was impaired by a screw acting on
each ring. This form was more ingen-
iOuS than the other, and capable of i'll
fiicting more pain.
Among the devices for torture men,
toned as being in existence in RatiSbon
are two boots, one of each of the forms
here referred to. The boot is not so
ancient as the rack. the laSt-named de-
vice having been in use in Italy and
Spain during the second century, al
though it did not become known in
England until several hundred years
later. The boot. however, appears to
have been used in France as early as
the eighth century.
OTHER INSTRUMENTS OF TORTURE.
Among the other instruments of tor
ture were the Scavenger'S daughter, the
thumbScrew, the pincers, the manacleS
and the wheel. The scavenger'S daugh-
ter was derived from the name of the
inventor. Sir William SkeffingtOn, lieu
tenant of the tower of London during
the reign of Henry Will, the name
being corrupted into scavenger. This
instrument so compressed the body that
blood started from the nose and mouth
of the victim.
The thumbscrew was used to exert
pressure on the thumbs, and by twist
ing those members and by raising the
body by them the torture was inflicted.
The pincerS were employed to tear the
flesh of the victim. Into the wounds
thus made boiling oil and melted metals
were often poured. The manacleS were
used to shackle or bind the legs or arms.
They thus served two purposes. They
deprived the victim of all power of de-
Tense, and by the weight and pressure
which they eXerted they often inflicted
great pain. The wheel was described
in last Sundays Globe-DemOcrat. The
instrument styled the Duke of EXeter's
Daughter" was the rack. 1t was intro
duced into the tower of London by the
Duke of Exeter, who was constable at
the time this occurred. Hence the
name.
There was another device for infict-
ing torture called little ease" This
was a cell so narrow that the prisoner
confined in it was compelled to stand.
On many occasions this punishment is
known to have continued several days
at a time. Still other forms of torture
consisted of pulling the hair out in
masses, in tearing off the finger or toe
nails, in pouring water on some part of
the body for many hours together with
out intermission. and in sticking pine
skewers under the nails or into other
portions of the body and then setting
them on fire.